Metallurgical furnace



Nov. 29, 1949 H. J. Mass ET AL 2,489,459

METALLURGICAL FURNACE Filed April 15, 1944 12 Sheets-Sheet 1 l g BY C.E.THOMAS AT RNEY 1949 H. J. NEss ETAL I 2,489,459

METALLURGICAL FURNACE Filed April 15,: 1944 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 107 1.97 INVENTORS H.J.NES5 C.E.THOMAS A TO NEY Nov. 29, 1949 H. J. NESS ETAL 2,489,459

METALLURGICAL FURNACE Filed April 15, 1944 12 Sheets-Sheet 3 1 ..L 1 M NJ C E. T H O M AS ql l l l l l l l I |H u n H u v. Y 1 l I I I l ll IIIIIIIIIIIILII. u ".m

M A TO N EY Nov. 29, 1949 H. J. NESS EIAL 2,489,459

METALLURGICAL FURNACE Filed April 15, 1944 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS H J. NESS C.E. THOMAS 12 She ets-Sheet 5 H. J. NESS ET AL METALLURGICAL FURNACE Nov. 29, 1949 Filed April 15, 1944 Filed April 15, 1944 H. J. NESS ET AL METALLURGICAL FURNACE Sheets-Sheet '7 Q I '7 I F/jj 5 1:1

Nov. 29, 1949 H. J. NESS ET AL METALLURGICAL FURNACE 12 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed April 15, 1944 rll ll .Flll

INVENTORS H.J. N ESS C.E. THOMAS Nov. 29, 1949 H. J. NESS ET AL METALLURGICAL FURNACE 12 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed April 15, 1944 INVENTORS H.J. NESS UCT SQECT BY C. E.THOMAS 12 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed April 15, 1944 5 M 2 3 4 J 6 m m mam a Z MNT. N w 1 z z 4 J 6 1 m m w n w Nov. 29, 1949 H. J. NESS ET AL METALLURG I CAL FURNACE Filed April 15, 1944 12 Sheets-Sheet ll INVENTORS H.J.NESS C.E. THOMAS ATTOR EY Nov. 29, 1949 H. J. NESS ET AL METALLURGICAL FURNACE 12 Sheets-Sheet 12 Filed April 15, 1944 INVENTORS H J NESS C.E.THOMAS ATT RNEY Patented Nov. 29, 1949 METALLURGICAL FURNACE Harold J. Ness, Montclair, and Charles E. Thomas,

North Arlington, N. J assignors to Metallurgical Processes 00., Newark, N. J., a partnership Application April 15, 1944, Serial No. 531,210

10 Claims.

This invention relates to a metallurgical furnace and more particularly to such furnace in association with a forming press or other work processing mechanism.

More specifically the invention is concerned with the heating of work parts, such as tubes, propeller blanks, etc. in a controlled atmosphere, and the pressing, forging, or other mechanical working of such parts, one of the objects being to effect the transfer of the work parts from the heating position to the working position in a minimum of time and in a highly convenient manner.

Another object is to construct and arrange the furnace and work processing mechanism whereby the heating and processing may be effected in a continuous cycle.

Still another object is to maintain each work part in the controlled atmosphere heating zone during its conveyance to the region of the work processing mechanism.

A still further object is to reduce to a practical minimum the path of movement of the work part from the heating position to the forming position.

A further object is to protect the parts from oxidation during its movement from the heating zone to the forming position.

Another object is to provide a furnace for use in association with work processing mechanism in which a plurality of work parts may be simul-' taneously heated in a protective atmosphere and in which any of such parts may be removed or additional parts inserted without modification or contamination of the atmosphere to which the remaining parts are subjected.

Another object is to provide such a furnace having a plurality of loading and unloading openings, and being movable to bring any desired opening into predetermined loading and unloading position.

Still another objectis to provide such a furnace having a plurality of work holding compartments in which a protective atmosph ere may be supplied independently to each compartment.

A further object is to provide simple, convenient and dependable control means for moving said furnace from loading position to unloading position or from one loading or unloading position to another. I

Another object is'to obtain accurate indexing of said furnace in each position of movement.

Still another objectis to provide uniform and accurately controlled heating of said furnace.

A still further object is to provide for the circulation of the controlled atmosphere both P around and through the interior of hollow work par s.

Another object is to provide novel work supporting means for such a furnace.

Another object is to provide novel work handling and conveying mechanism for the loading and unloading of said furnace.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In accordance with the present invention the parts to be heated, illustrated in the present embodiment as hollow steel blanks for aircraft propellers, are suspended vertically within individual vertical retorts or muflles contained Within the heatin chamber of a traveling furnace disposed beneath a suitable press or forming machine and movable so as to bring each muffle, in turn or in any desired order, beneath a suitable press or forming machine opening. The mufiles are each closed by individual covers from which the blanks are suspended, and as each mufile is brought into unloading position beneath the die opening of the forming machine, the cover is engaged by a suitable grapple or clutching device and, through suitable hoisting mechanism, the cover and depending blank are raised directly into the dies Where the desired formin operation is performed. While the forming operation is being performed the furnace may be moved to bring the empty muflle into a predetermined loading position, where another cover and depending cold blank are lowered therein.

Each of the muflies is provided with a protective atmosphere which may be either neutral or carburizing, as desired, and this atmosphere may be circulated around and, in the case of a hollow blank, through the blank, if desired. This atmosphere comprises either a cracked mixture of a hydrocarbon fuel and ailpor the products of combustion thereof, to which is added, by suitable vaporizing means, a metallic vapor, such as lithium, the action of which is to eliminate any water vapor in the gaseous atmosphere and to render it non-oxidizing and, in the case of a heat treating atmosphere, to render it non-decarburizing.

The furnace is mounted on a suitable truck operating in a linear direction on guide rails, and the movement is effected preferably by an oil cylinder and associated pump mechanism electrically controlled from any suitable point, as from a control panel situated on or adjacent the forming machine and readily accessible to the operator of the machine.

The above and many other features of the adapted for the shaping of steel propeller blades for aircraft;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view as seen from the right, on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the furnace and its enclosing pit, as seen on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the furnace taken on the stepped line 4-4 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view on the stepped line 5--5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the lithium vapor generating chambers, taken on the line of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic View of the external piping for the furnace atmosphere carrier gas and for the air and fuel gas, and the mixing mechanism therefor, showing the four sides of the furnace developed on a single plane;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the pit and conveying truck showing the manner of attachment of the operating oil cylinder thereto;

Figs. 10, 11, 12 and 13 are sectional views on the lines Ill-l0, l||l, I2-|2, and l3-l3, respectively, of Fig. 9;

Fig. 14 is a sectional view of the left end of the oil cylinder shown in Fig.

Fig. 15 is a diagrammatic view of the indexing positions of the furnace relative to the loading and unloading positions thereof;

Fig. 16 is a diagram of the indexing control circuits;

Fig. 17 is a detail of the locking means for the panel switches of Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is a vertical sectional view of the muffle cover, work holding support and detachable gripping device therefor;

Fig. 19 is a vertical sectional view at right angles to Fig. 18 and showing an electric hoist associated with the work holder and gripping device;

Fig. 20 is a view of the work holder and gripping device, as seen from the left of Fig. 18;

Figs. 21 and 22 are sectional Views on the lines 2l-2l and 2222 of Fig. 18;

Fig. 23 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the pit showing the furnace therein, the press thereabove, and the blank loading, unloading, and conveying mechanism;

Fig. 24 is a fragmentary detail view of the work supporting carriage or rack shown in Fig. 23; and

Fig. 25 is a fragmentary sectional View of the mufile cover and work holder, showing an arrangement for circulating the protective atmosphere both around and through the blanks being heated.

Referring first to Fig. l, the furnace I0 is shown mounted upon a truck ll adapted for back and forth movement on rails I 2 within a pit I3. The furnace is provided with a plurality of individual heating chambers, as will hereinafter appear, adapted to be brought in succession beneath the opening between the die members I4 and I5, of a suitable forming press I6, disposed above the pit 13, so that each work piece may be raised between the dies for forming.

The construction of the furnace ID, the arrangement of the burners therefor. its conveying truck H, the operating and indexing means for positioning the heating chambers in succession beneath the die opening, and the loading and unloading of the furnace and the operation of the press It, will be described in the above order.

Furnace structure Referring now to Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the furnace is encased in a substantially rectangular shell comprising front and rear walls I! and 18, respectively, right and left end walls I9 and 2|, respectively, a floor plate 22, and a roof plate 23, carried by a suitable structural steel framework. A second rectangular box structure 24 extends alone the base of the forward side of the furnace for enclosing the lithium vaporizing chambers. It is defined by the forward end of the fioor or base plate 22, extensions of the end plates I9 and 2| and front and top plates 25 and 26, respectively. The framework upon which each of the plates l1, l8, l9, 2|, 22 and 23 are mounted comprises a rectangular base composed of channel members 21 and transverse I-beams 28; a second rectangular frame of channel member 29 disposed adjacent the top of the shell and having a number of transverse I-beams 30 extending thereacross; an intermediate rectangular frame of channel members 3|; and a number of vertical and diagonal structural members interconnecting the three channel member frames, including the corner angles 32 and intermediate diagonal channel members 33. The plates 25 and 26 of the lithium vaporizing compartments are mounted on a supplemental framework comprising a top horizontal frame composed of angles 34 and plates 35 and a plurality of vertical angles and T-members 35 and 31, respectively.

The base plate 22 is mounted directly on the lower I-beams 28 and carries the main weight of the furnace, comprising the refractory floor 38 and side walls 39. The refractory roof 40 is suspended in part from the top I-beams 30. These refractory walls define a combustion chamber 4i within which are disposed a numher of individual vertical mufiles 42a to 42) resting directly upon the floor 38 and passing upward through the roof 40.

In the present embodiment, the furnace is designed for the heating of steel propeller blanks of elliptical or airfoil shape. Therefore, in order to conserve material in the mufiles, to obtain more even heat distribution to the blanks, and to reduce the over-all length of the furnace, the muflles are shown as substantially elliptical in cross section. However, they may equally well be of any other suitable shape, depending upon the shape of the work to be heated. The body of each of the muflles 42 is of relatively light rolled stock formed and welded into an elliptical tube open at the top and closed at the bottom by a flanged base sheet 43 welded thereto. An elliptical collar 44 surrounds the top of the muflle and is welded thereto, to form a chamber 45 adapted to contain a fluid sealing medium, such as sand. The body of the mufile is reinforced by vertical stiffening angles 46, broken at intervals to prevent warping of the muffle due to unequal expansion of the angle ribs and body of the mufile.

Each of the muflles 42 is loosely surrounded, adjacent its upper end, by an elliptical collar or sleeve 41 having an outwardly extending flange 48 by which it is supported on the lower flanges of the transverse I-beams 30 and longitudinally extending I-beam sections 49 disposed between the I-beams 30. These collars have outwardly turned bottom flanges 5| forming seats for the refractory members 52 forming the roof 40 of the combustion chamber. The roof refractories are further supported by clips 53 carried from mverted T-bars 54 suspended below each of the I-beams 30 and 49 by U-shaped hangers 55. The entire roof 46, except where the peripheral refractory blocks bear on the side walls 39, is suspended from the structural members 30 and 49. The top plate 23, which rests on the beams 39 and 49 and the upper channel member frame 29, has elliptical openings 51 therein through which the mufiles 42 extend.

Each muffle is provided with an individual cover 58 comprising a pair of castings 59 and 60, secured together by bolts 6|. The lower casting 59 has a hollow central section 62 extending into the muffle 42, adapted to be filled with heat insulating material, and an outer depending flange 63, extending into the sealing medium in the chamber 45. A central passageway 64 (see Fig. 18) is provided through the upper casting 6i! and the depending plug portion 62, and extending through this passageway is a work holding member 65 comprising a hollow shank 66 having a spherical head 61 resting on the casting 60, and a threaded sleeve member 68 for attachment of the blank 69 thereto. A'spider I is secured on the shank 66 so as to clamp the latter member rigidly to the mufiie cover. The muffle is exhausted through the passageway 64 and through exhaust vents II in the castings 59 and 60.

A protective gas atmosphere is admitted into the muiiles 42 through the inlet conduits 12 (Figs. and 6). This atmosphere may comprise a suitable carrier gas, such as that resulting from the combustion or cracking of a hydrocarbon fuel and air mixture, to which is added the vapor of lithium or of a compound of lithium, as fully described in Patent No. 2,346,698, granted April 18, 1944, to Haro d J. Ness, and entitled Method of producing protective atmospheres. In the present embodiment, the unlithiated carrier gas is generated in a central gas generator, not shown, and distributed to the furnace through a flexible conduit I3 (Figs. 1-3) and by means of the external piping 14 and manifold to each of the lithium generators 16 (Figs. 5-7) depending within a combustion chamber 11 formed in the forward extension 24 of the furnace casing. In the embodiment shown, two lithium generators 16 are provided for each muffle, the generators being disposed in parallel arrangement in the atmosphere inlet conduits 12. The number of generators may be varied, of course, depending upon the capacity thereof and the volume of gas to be conditioned. Each generator comprises a cylindrical pot having a removable cover 18 accessible through the openings 19 provided in the top plate 26 and the refractory roof of the combustion chamber 11. The lithium or its compound is contained within a replaceable cup 80 supported in the base of the pot 16 by means of a peripheral flange 8|, as fully described in the aforesaid patent.

The carrier gas, entering each pair of generators from the manifold 75 through the branches 82, is deflected over the cup 89 by a plate 83 depending from the cover 18, and leaves the generators through the branch conduits 84 joined to 1 the mufiled inlet pipe 72. During the passage of the carrier gas through the generators 16, a small portion of the vapor of lithium or of a compound thereof is entrained thereby and serves to eliminate the water vapor from the gas and render it both non-oxidizing and non-decarburizin to the metal being heated in the muflies. The amount of lithium or lithium compound vapor generated in each of the chambers 16 is dependent upon the compound or compounds of lithium contained within the cups 80, the exposed area of the compound, and the temperature thereof. I prefer to employ cups 80 of a diameter of about three inches containing a mixture of lithium chloride and lithium carbonate in the proportion of 40% and respectively and to maintain the temperature thereof at from 1400 F. to 1800 F., with a rate of flow of approximately 175 cubic feet per hour to each of the mufiies 42. A two and one-half ounce charge of the aforesaid compounds in each of the cups will properly condition the atmosphere, for a period of from twelve to fifteen hours, in each of the muffles 42, which in the present embodiment have a height of thirteen feet and a volume of approximately eighteen cubic feet. The relation between the temperature of the compound, its exposed area and rate of gas flow is more fully disclosed in the copending application Serial No. 493,707, of Harold J. Ness, filed July '7, 1943, and entitled Method of and means for producing a lithiated atmosphere, now abandoned.

The muflles 42, surrounding collars 41, cover casting 49, lithium generators 16, and piping and other metal parts within the combustion chambers 4| and 11, are preferably composed of a heat resisting metal, such as nickel or nickel-chromium-iron alloys.

Burner arrangement The combustion chamber 4| is provided with a plurality of burner assemblies 9| (Fig. 6) extending through the front and rear walls thereof in vertical rows and disposed between each of the muffles 42 and between the outer muffles and the adjacent end walls. Each of these burner assemblies comprises a burner bracket 92, having a flanged portion secured to the outer shell plates l1 and IS, a burner 93 carried by the bracket, and a refractory burner block 94 set in the refractory side walls. The burners 93 are supplied with a combustible gas and air mixture by distributing tubes 95 from a plurality of manifolds 96. The distributing arrangement is best shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and the developed view of Fig. 8. Air under pressure for all the burners is supplied by a suitable turbo-blower 91 mounted on a platform 98 carried with the furnace on the truck The blower 91 supplies air under pressure to a standpipe 99 at the right end of the furnace shell and, by means of a conduit I00, to a standpipe |0| at the left end of the shell. Gas

is supplied through a flexible conduit I92 (Figs.

1, 2 and 3) to a gas riser I63 at the left end of the furnace, and by a cross conduit I04 to a riser |05 at the right end of the furnace. Air from each of the standpipes 99 and |0| is supplied through suitable orifices, not shown, to a plurality of Venturi mixing devices I06. Gas from the risers I03 and I05 is supplied through zero pressure governors I01 and suitable orifices, not shown, to the throat of the mixing devices I06, whereby the flow of air through the mixing device induces the proper gas flow therein. Each mixing device supplies air and gas in the proper ratio to a pair of the manifolds 96, one at each side of the furnace and similarly positioned relative to the muflies 42. The arrangement of each such pair of manifolds and their associated burners are in zones, there being six such zones in the embodiment shown, three for the upper half of the mufile group and-three for the lower half thereof. Referring to Fig. 8, the burners included in each zone are enclosed in dotted lines, zones I, 2 and 3 comprising the burners associated with the front and rear manifolds 96a, 96b and 960, respectively. Zones 4, 5 and 6 comprise similar groupings of the burners in the lower half of the furnace. The burners in each zone are controlled by an electric valve I08 in the air supply line to each of the mixing devices I06. The valves I08 are actuated under control of a thermocouple I09, one of which is suitably located in the combustion chamber adjacent each of the designated zones. Since there are six zones and six muilles, the thermocouple which controls each zone is in contact with a different muffle. This zone I is controlled by a couple associated with the upper part of mufiie 42a; zone 4 by a couple associated with the lower part of mufile 42b. Zones 2 and 3 are similarly controlled by couples associated with the upper half of muflles 42c and 42c and zones 5 and 6 by the lower half of muflles 42d and 42 respectively. It will be noted that each manifold 96 feeds one or more burners in the area chiefly fed by an adjacent manifold, so as to provide an overlapping of the zones. The purpose of this is to reduce the frequency of the off and on cycles of the burners in each zone. For instance, should the furnace in the area heated by the burners fed by the manifold 99b attain its desired temperature, so as to cause these burners to be extinguished, the drop in temperature of this area is retarded by the burners of manifold 96a and/or 960 which overlap into this area. The amount of this overlapping of controlled areas may be varied, of course, but should be restricted so as to prevent a continued increase in temperature in any area after the primary heat source for that area has been interrupted. It will be noted that the burners at the forward side of the furnace are offset vertically from those at the rear, whereby the forward burners fire between the rear burners in the same vertical plane. By vitue of this arrangement and the relatively large number of small burners employed, and the overlapped arrangement of the control zones, extremely uniform heating of the mufiies is obtained.

The combustion chamber 41 is exhausted (Figs.

4-6) through a plurality of ports III and passageway H2 in the refractory side walls. These ports are disposed between each vertical row of burners on each side of the furnace at two elevations, one set, as best shown in Fig. 6, being adjacent the floor of the furnace below the burners contained in the lower zones 4, 5 and 6, and the other set being disposed beneath the burners contained in the upper zones I, 2 and 3. This 91-.

rangement of burners and exhaust ports causes the products of combustion to sweep around and down across the mufiles 42, as well as across the refractory walls of the combustion chamber, in a turbulent path whereby the maximum heat is extracted therefrom.

The combustion chamber 'I'I for heating the lithium generators I6 is provided with a group of burner assemblies H3 similar to the burner as semblies 9I. These burners are disposed in a horizontal row along the front of the combustion chamber, between each of the vaporizing pots I6 and to the left and right, respectively, of the left and right end pots. They are supplied with a combustible mixture of fuel and air by two manifolds H4, H5, having associated mixing devices H6 and H1, respectively, disposed at opposite ends of the furnace. The air supply line for each of these mixing devices is provided with electrically operated valves H8, I I9, respectively, controlled by separate thermocouples I20, I2I (Fig. 5). The valves H8, H9 serve to reduce the air and hence the gas flow to the manifolds H4, H5 when the generators are up to the desired temperature.

The combustion chamber 11 is exhausted "through ports I22 spaced along the forward side of the combustion chamber floor, intermediate each pair of vaporizing pots, and these ports communicate, by passageways I23, with the vertical exhaust passageways H2.

At their upper ends, the exhaust passages H2 are continued by metal conduits I24 passing upwardly through the top plate 23 and thence extending laterally to adjacent the forward and rear ventilating conduits I25 and I26. These conduits are supported against the upper front and rear walls of the pit I3 and are provided with an elongated opening I21 of a length to register with the open ends of the exhaust conduits I25 and I25 in the full longitudinal movement of the furnace. The vertilating conduits extend from the pit through a suitable wall of the building and are provided with exhaust fans of sufiicient capacity to carry away, not only the products of combustion, but sufficient air from the pit I3 to maintain a comfortable temperature therein. Fresh air is admitted into the pit by suitable conduits I28 in the side walls thereof.

A lateral duct I28 is provided for each of the conduits I25, I26, having openings I29 disposed adjacent each side of the line of mufiies 32 and extending from a point beneath the opening of the press I6 to a point to the right of the press, as seen in Fig. 1, whereby to exhaust, from above the furnace, the atmosphere released from the mufiles 42 during the open periods thereof between the unloading and loading operations and during the interval of movement of the furnace from the unloading to loadin position as will more fully appear.

Traveling carriage and operating mechanism The traveling carriage II upon whch the furnace I0 is mounted for back and forth movement beneath the forming press I6 comprises a suitably cross-braced I-beam frame I3I carried on the bearing bars I32 of a pair of trucks I33. The truck wheel shafts I34 are carried in suitable antifriction bearings I35 and operate on the machined rails I2. The carriage II is propelled backward and forward on the rails I2 by manipulation of the oil pressure on opposite sides of a stationary plunger contained within a cylinder I38 carried beneath the carriage II. The cylinder I36 has fixedly secured thereto, at each end and at a number of intermediate points, the blocks I37, as by clamping or welding. The outer pair of blocks I3'I, at each end of the cylinder, are bolted to a structural truss I38 depending from the I-beam frame I3I. As best shown in Figs. 9 to 12, these truss structures comprise a, pair of angle members I39, extending between the end pairs of blocks I31 and securely bolted thereto, fish plates I4I riveted to the upturned flanges of the angles I39, and pairs of diagonal angles I42, riveted to the fish plates MI and to the depending flange of an angle I43, in turn riveted to one flange of the I-beam frame I3I. Transverse gusset plates I44 are welded to the angles I39 and to the frame I3I.

A vertical angle I45 is riveted between the vertical flanges of the angles I39 and to an angle I46 secured to the frame I3I in vertical alignment with the inner block I31 of each pair.

Between the outer pair of blocks I31 is an additional block I31 by which the cylinder is further anchored to the frame I3I by the transverse angle bracket I48, secured to a cross I-beam I49 by angle sections II. Of course, any other suitable means may be provided for securely fixing the cylinder I36 to the carriage.

The cylinder is closed at each end by a suitable stuffing gland I52 through which the hollow piston shafts I53 and I54 extend. These shafts are anchored at opposite ends of the floor of the pit I3 and terminate within the cylinder I36 in pistons I55 spaced closely adjacent to each other. The shafts I53, I54 each have a port I56 by which oil may be pumped into or from the chambers I51 and I58 provided between the shafts I53, I54 and the inner wall of the cylinder.

The anchorage for the outer ends of each of the piston shafts comprises a bracket I59 anchored to the floor of the pit, a pair of spaced links I6I pivoted thereto and to a spacer I62 through which the shaft passes and to which it is clamped by oppositely disposed nuts I63 threaded on the piston shaft. The pivoted link connection permits variation in the horizontal alignment of the cylinder I36 and the anchor brackets I59 in the various positions of travel of the carriage.

Oil supply conduits I 64 and I65 are secured to the free ends of the shafts I53 and I54 respectively, whereby suitable pressure may be produced in either end of the cylinder I36. The arrangement of the oil lines and pumping mechanism is best shown in Fig. 3. Oil pressure is supplied by a pump I65 driven continuously by a motor I61, the pump and motor being mounted upon a suitable oil reservoir I68. The inlet port of the pump is connected by a conduit I69 with the reservoir I68 and the outlet port is connected by a conduit I1I to the outlet valve I13, of suitable oil flow direction reversing valve mechanism I14. The inlet valve I of the reversing mechanism is connected to the reservoir I68 by a. conduit I16. Each of the valves I13 and I15 is provided with pistons connected by a common shaft I18 operated either to the left or to the right by solenoids I19 and I8I, respectively, and returnable to a central position, as shown, when both solenoids are deenergized, by centering springs I82. The pistons I11 each have an opening I83 therethrough and a branch opening I84 which, in the central position of the iston, is in registry with a connecting conduit I85. In this central position, the pistons close a pair of ports-communicating with the conduits I64 and I65, extending to the left and right ends, respectively, of the shafts I53 and. I54 of the carriage operating cylinder. A normally closed bypass valve I86, operated by a solenoid I81, is connected between the conduits I64 and I 65. Each of the conduits I64 and I65 is also provided with a pressure retaining valve I88 adapted to permit the unrestricted flow of oil into the shafts I53 and I54 but restricting the flow in the opposite direction so that a predetermined minimum pressure will be maintained at all times within each end of the cylinder I36.

When the carriage is at rest, with the by-pass valve I86 open, the pressure in the opposite ends of the cylinder I36 will be equal. The valves I13 and I 15 are also in their midposition at this time,

10 disconnecting the conduits I64 and I65 from the pump I66 and reservoir I68. The continuously operating pump, at this time, draws oil fromthe reservoir by way of the conduit I69 and delivers it back to the reservoir through the circuit comprising the conduit I1I, passages I83 and I84 of valve I13, conduit I85, passages I83 and I84 of valve I15 and conduit I16. When it is desired to move the carriage to the left, the solenoids I81,

and I8I are energized simultaneously, to close the by-pass valve I86 and move the pistons of valves I13 and I15 to the right. The pump I66 now delivers oil to the left end of the cylinder I36 through the conduit I1I, valve I13, conduit I64 and valve I88 to the hollow shaft I53, and by the port I56 to the left end of the cylinder I36, forcing the same and its attached carriage to the left. During this movement, as the pressure in the right end of the cylinder builds up above the predetermined minimum, as determined by the valve I88 in the conduit I65, the oil is forced therefrom and through the conduit I65, valve I15, and conduit I16 to the reservoir I68.

When the carriage reaches its desired leftward position, the solenoids I81 and I8I are deenergized, as will hereinafter appear, opening the bypass valve I86 and centering the pistons of valves I13 and I15. This latter operation disconnects the pump from the conduits I64 and I65 and the opening of the by-pass valve I86 permits the pressure in the opposite ends of the cylinder I36 to equalize.

If it is desired to move the carriage to the right, the solenoids I81 and I19 are energized, the latter moving the pistons of valves I13 and I15 to the left and establishing a connecting path from the pump I66 to the cylinder shaft I64 through conduit I1 I, passage I83 of valve I13 and conduit I 65, the oil being returned to the reservoir I68 from the left end of the cylinder through conduit I64, passage I83 of valve I15 and conduit I16.

Thus it will be noted that the carriage and the furnace supported thereon may be moved backward and forward in the pit l3 by suitable energizing and deenergizing of the solenoids I81 and I19 or I8I. The control circuits for these solenoids are completed by a series of manually operated control switches, later to be described, one of which is provided for each position into which it is desired to move the carriage, and these circuits are interrupted, when the carriage reaches such position, by means carried by the furnace which searches for the energized control circuit. Referring to Fig. 9, a bracket I9I mounted in a recess I92 in the floor of the pit I3, carries a series of switches I93a, b, 0, etc. Cam members I94 and I95 (Figs. 1, 9 and 16), carried by the left and right end blocks I31 of the cylinder I36 are arranged to engage and open the switches I93a, b, c, etc., one after the other as the carriage moves in either direction, until it finds the one through which the solenoids I81 and I19 or I8I are energized, whereupon it opens the circuit thereto to arrest the motion of the carriage, as will more fully appear.

Muflle indexing In the operation of the furnace, a single work piece or blank 69 is placed in each of the six mufiles and retained therein until they have attained the proper working temperature. Each of the work parts is supported from the muffle cover and is removable from the muffle with the cover. As each blank is removed, for forming by the press I6, a new or cold blank is inserted in the muflle, the cycle of operation being timed so that by the time the remaining five blanks have been removed and formed, the new blank will be at the proper temperature for forming. The operation is thus continuous. The unloading position of the furnace is, of course, directly beneath the dies of the forming press, and the loading position is slightly to the right of the press, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 23.

The complete cycle of movement of the furnace is shown in Fig. 15, in which the roof 200 of the pit I3 is shown with two openings I and 202, the former being the unloading opening disposed beneath the press I6 and the latter being the loading opening. The furnace is shown diagrammatically in each successive position, the light circle representing, in each position, the particular mufile into which loading or from which unloading is to be effected, and the dark circles representing the remaining muflles. Assuming that all the muflies contain a blank undergoing heating and that the blank in the rightmost muffle is in condition for transfer to the forming press, the furnace is first indexed to bring this mufiie, indicated as muflle a, beneath the floor opening 20I This is indicated in Fig. 15 as position 1. With the furnace in this position, the spherical head 61 of the work holder 65 of mufile a is engaged by a suitable connection hereinafter to be described, and the mufile cover and suspended blank are raised to bring the blank between the dies of the press I6, and the forming operation conducted. Immediately upon removal of the blank from the mufile, the furnace is indexed to the right to position 2 so as to bring muflle a beneath the loading opening 202 where a new blank and mufiie cover are lowered into place. During the loading operation the blank previously removed from the furnace is formed in the press and removed therefrom to a suitable rack, hereinafter described. After the loading of muflle a has been completed, the furnace is indexed back to the left into position 3 so as to bring the muflle b beneath the press. In like manner the furnace is successively indexed into positions 4 to 12 to permit loading of muffie b and the unloading and loading of mufiles c to f, in succession. The cycle of operation is so timed that by the time muifie f is reloaded, the blank previously loaded into the muflle a is ready for the pressing operation. If the required heating time for each blank is one half hour, then a press operation is effected every five minutes. After mufiie j is loaded, the furnace is returned to position 1 and the complete cycle repeated.

The control circuits for effecting the indexing of the muffle are shown in Fig. 16. Referring to this figure, a panel switchboard 205 is located conveniently to the press operation, preferably on the deck 208 (Fig. 23) of the press. This switchboard is provided with a vertical row 201 of six unloading position push button switches and associated indicator lamps 208, and a vertical row 299 of loading position push button switches and associated lamps 2I0, one push button thus being provided for each unloading and loading position of the furnace. The unloading row of push buttons 201 also has a common ready indicating lamp 2I I. The construction of the switch panel is shown in Fig. 17. The buttons 201 and 299 are normally elevated by springs 2| 2. The stems 2 I3 of each switch extend through the panel 295 where they are provided with lock projections 2I4 and switch contacts 2I5. A pair of locking bails 2I6, normally held out of the path of the projections 2I4 by a spring 2I1, are adapted to be operated by a magnet M8, the arrangement being such that upon the depression of any of the buttons 201 or 209, the magnet 2I8 is energized to lock the operated button depressed and bar the depression of any of the remaining buttons. A dashpot 2I9 is connected to each of the lockin bails 2I6 to delay the unlocking movement thereof, for a reason which will subsequently appear.

A single push button switch 22I is also arranged adjacent the loading position for operation by the loading operator upon completion of the loadin; operation. This switch serves to complete a circuit to the ready signal lamp 2H and to prepare a circuit for effecting movement of the furnace to one of the unloading positions upon subsequent operation of one of the panel switches 201. The switch 22I has a set of contacts 222 and a locking lever 223 with its operating magnet 224.

The furnace carriage is provided, as previously stated, with cam members I94 and I adjacent the left and right ends thereof. The cam I94 is adapted to engage the series of six unloading position indexing switches I93a-f and the cam I95 is adapted to engage the six loading position indexing switches I93'a-f. Each switch comprises a stem 230 having a cam head 23!. stem has a blade 232 normally engaging a contact 233 and movable b the cam I94 or I95 to engage a contact 234, and a tip 235 arranged to engage a contact 236.

One terminal of each of the switches 2I5 of push buttons 201 and 209 is connected to battery 231 through the winding of locking magnet 2I8. The opposite terminals of the switches of push buttons a to f of row 201 are connected to the blades 232 of the switches I93a to 1, respectively, and the opposite terminals of the switches of push buttons a to j of row 209 are similarly connected to the blades of switches I93'a to 1, respectively. Likewise the lamps 208 are connected to the bat.- tery 231 at one side, and at the opposite side to the tips 235 of switches I 930. to f. Lamps 2I0 are similarly associated with switches I93a to The upper contact 233 of all switches I93 are connected by one common conductor 238 through the lower armature and make contact of a relay 239 associated with the switch 22I and thence in series through the solenoid IBI of the reversing valve mechanism and solenoid I81 of the by-pass valve I86, winding of relay 240 and normally closed contacts 24I and 242, to ground. The lower contacts 234 of switches I93 are similarly connected through the pump control solenoid I19, by-pass control solenoid I81, relay 240 and contacts 24I and 242, to ground. The contacts 236 of all switches I93 and I93 are connected in common to ground through the armature and break contact of relay 240. The upper contacts 233 of switches I93 are all connected through the pump control solenoid I19 and the lower contacts 234 are connected through the pump control solenoid I8I, these circuits joining. as previously described, through solenoid I81, magnet 240, and contacts 24I, 242, to ground.

In describing the operation of the indexing control circuits, it will be assumed that the furnace is in position 1 of Fig. 15 for the unloading of muffle 42a. In this position of the furnace the cam I94 will have its first lobe 243 in engagement with the head of switch I93a partially depressing the same so as to engage contact 236 with the tip 235 and with contacts 233 and 234 disengaged from the blade 2 32 A circuit will thus be closed. from battery 231, lamp 208a, tip 235 and contact 236 of switch [93a and back contact of magnet 240 to ground, indicating to the press operator, by illumination of the lamp 29811., that the a mufile is in unloading position. As soon as the muflie is unloaded, the operator depresses the a loading position switch 209, completing a circuit from battery 231, winding of locking magnet 2|8, contacts of switch 209a, blade 232 and contact 233 of switch I93'a, solenoids I19 and I81, magnet 240 and contacts 24I, 242, to ground. The energizing of solenoid I19 operates the reversing valve mechanism I14 to deliver oil to the right end of the cylinder I36 to move the furnace to the right, and solenoid I81 closes the by-pass valve I86. As this movement to the right continues, the cam I95 moves into en agement-with the head of switch I93a, depressing it to open the circuit just traced at the contact 233. This interrupts the feeding of oil to the cylinder I36 and the carriage is brought to rest. Should it overtravel, the high lobe 244 of cam I95 engages the switch I93'a to further depress the same to close the contacts 232, 234. This operates the opposite pump solenoid |8I to cause pressure to be applied to the left end of the cylinder I36 to return the furnace to the left until the low lobe 243 is again engaged with the switch I 93a to reopen contacts 232, 234. Should the furnace overtravel in the reverse direction, contacts 232, 233 again close, again moving the furnace to the right. Thus it hunts back and forth until it finally centers to rest with both contacts 233 and 234 open and contacts 235, 235

closed. During this back and forth movement,

release of locking bails 2|5 of the panel switch 209 is prevented by the dashpots 2| 9. Shortly after the centering of the furnace with mufile a in leading position, the bails 2|6 release the depressed key, permitting it to return to unoperated position. During the back and forth hunting of the furnace, the magnet 240 alternately energizes and deenergizes, as contacts 233 and 234 are made and broken, causing panel indicator lamp 2|0a to flash, over a circuit similar to the one previousl traced for lamp 208. As soon as the furnace comes to rest in its properly indexed position, the lamp 2|ila glows steadily, contacts 234, 236 only of switch I93'a being closed at this time, and magnet 240 consequently being deenergized.

After the loading of the a muffle is completed, the loading operator depresses his switch 22I, this switch locking up over a circuit extending from battery through the winding of relay 224, contacts 222, winding of relay 239 and back contact and armature of relay 245, to ground. The closing of the lower contacts of relay 239 prepares the circuit over conductor 238 for the upper contacts of switches |93a to 1 so that upon operation of any one of the unloading panel switches 201, a circuit will be completed to effect leftward movement of the furnace into one of the unloading positions. The closing of the upper contacts 246 of relay 239 completes a circuit from ground through'the outer back contacts of a relay 241, contacts 246 and ready signal lamp 2 to battery 2|1 to operate the lamp 2H and thus to indicate that the loading operation is completed. The circuit through the winding of relay 239 remains energized until one of the loading panel switches 209 is closed, whereupon relay 245 is energized to interrupt the circuit and release the switch 22I to open its contacts. This does not occur, however, under normal operation until after the furnace has been returned to an unloading position and one of the mufiies has been unloaded. If the press operator, noting the ready signal lamp 2| I, now desires to move the furnace into position to unload the b muffle, he depresses button 2011) which completes a circuit to the oil pump control mechanism and starts the movement of the furnace to the left. This circuit may be traced from battery 231, locking magnet 2|8, panel switch contact 201b, blade 232 of cam switch |93b, upper contact thereof, conductor 238, front contact and lower armature of relay 239, winding of relay 248, solenoids |8I and I81 of the pump control mechanism, winding of relay 240 and switches 24I and 242, to ground. Solenoids I8I and I81 cause the oil pressure to be applied to the left end of cylinder I36 and the furnace moves in this direction until the contacts 232, 233 of cam switch I932) are opened by cam I94. Operation of relay 248 in the circuit traced causes the relay 241 to operate, thus to interrupt, at its outer contacts, the circuit to the ready signal lamp 2| Relay 241 is locked up at its inner contacts and back contact of relay 245 and thus holds the signal lamp circuit open. Relay 241 is released by operation of relay 245 on the next rightward movement of the furnace, at which time ground is also removed at relay 245 from the circuit including relay 239 and switch locking magnet 224, to permit the switch 22I to restore to normal. Thus by successive operations of switches 201a to f, switches 209a to f and switch 22l, the mufiies a to f may be indexed successively, or in any desired order, into unloading and loading positions.

The two switches 24I and 242 are disposed slightly beyond the extreme leftward and rightward limits of movement of the furnace and the function thereof is to interrupt the circuit to the pump solenoids I19 and IBI should any of the switches I93 or I93 fail to operate and thus prevent the furnace from overrunning beyond its prescribed limits of travel in either direction.

While in the illustrated embodiment, the furnace has been indexed to a common loading position for each muffle, it is to be understood that the furnace may be indexed into a single right hand position, as for instance, into the extreme right hand position indicated for the loading of muffle 42f. In such case only a single push buttom switch 209, such as 209), and a single cam operated switch I93, such as I39f, will be required. The roof of the pit, in such case, will be provided with six loading openings 202, one for each muffle. This arrangement has the advantage that the entire furnace may normally be retained in its right hand position, out from beneath the press I6 so that the press is not subjected to the heat therefrom, except during the brief unloading interval.

Blank handling and forming mechanism The mechanism for inserting or removing the blanks from each of the mufiles 42, as the furnace is indexed into each loading and unloading position, is shown in Figs. 18 to 25.

Referring first to Fig. 23, the cold blanks 69 to be loaded into the furnace are conveniently supported in a traveling rack or carriage 250 from which they are removed by a suitable electric hoist 25I and grapple 252 and lowered through the floor opening 202 into an open mufile indexed into position therebeneath. As has been explained, each blank is supported by the work holding fixture from a muflie cover so that upon lowering the blank into the muflle, the cover comes to rest on the mufile rim and, through a suitable sand seal, tightly closes the mufile. The heated blanks are removed from the mufiles in the unloading position beneath the floor opening 26! by a second hoist 253 and grapple 254 and elevated into position between the dies l4 and I5, where a forming operation is completed. Thereafter, they are elevated above the forming press, moved to a position to the left of the press, and lowered into a second rack or carriage 256.

Each of the carriages 256 operates on tracks 255 and 256, centered relative to the overhead hoist rail 251, so as to facilitate the engagement of the grapple 252 with the spherical heads of the work holders of the blanks supported in the right hand rack, preparatory to the loading operation and to facilitate the aligning of the blank supporting covers on their seats in the left hand rack, following the forming operation.

Each of the carriages 256 comprises an open rectangular framework of structural members, the top frame 258 having a number of spaced transverse I-beam sections 259 on which are mounted collars 26l (Fig. 24) each having an upstanding elliptical flange for supporting the mufiie cover 58 between the sealing flange 63 and the tubular body portion 62.

The grapples 253 and 254 are identical in structure and are best shown in Figs. 18 to 21. Each pp comprises a horizontal cylinder 262 adapted to be supported from the hook 263 of the hoist by an eyelet 264. Depending from the cylinder 262 is a vertical cylinder 265 having a pair of lugs 266 extending outwardly from two opposite sides thereof. A pair of grapple arms 261 are pivoted, one between each pair of lugs 266, on pins 268, the lower ends of each arm having bifurcated lateral extensions 269, as best shown in Fig. 20, and each extension carries a pivoted roller 211. The extensions 269 are shaped so as to curve around the spherical heads 81 of the work holders and engage the same at four quad rantly spaced points when the grapple is lowered into engagement therewith. The grapple arms 261, above the pivots, curve outwardly beyond the ends of the horizontal cylinder 262 in alignment with the stems 212 of a pair of pistons 213, disposed in the opposite ends of the cylinder 262, which serve, when air pressure is applied between the pistons through an inlet 214, to force the upper arms outwardly against the tension of the springs 215 whereby to engage the rollers 211 with the work holding head 61.

The vertical cylinder 265, at its lower end, has a hardened insert 216 having a conical outer face and disposed within the cylinder is a hollow valve plunger 211, normally held upwardly therein by a spring 218, as shown in Fig. 19. In this position, a lateral passageway 219 to the central opening of the plunger is out of alignment with an inlet passageway 26l in the cylinder 265. A key 286, carried by the insert 216, prevents turning of the plunger within the cylinder and enables the passageways 219 and 281 to be aligned when the plunger is depressed.

The spherical head 61 of the work holder has a hardened insert 282 threaded therein, the upper face of which is concave for engagement with the insert 216 of the grapple when the latter is lowered into contact therewith. Within the insert 282 is a second insert 283 having lateral passageways 284, whereby a suitable gas under pressure admitted through the plunger 211 will have access to the lower face of a weighted check valve 285 to lift the same from its seat and permit the gas to enter through the passage 286 in the head 61 into the hollow shank 66 of the work holder.

This gas, as will be more fully explained, passes downwardly through the shank 66 into the interior of the blanks 69 and is vented therefrom through a tube 281 which extends into the blank to a point adjacent the lower end thereof. The upper end of tube 281 passes through the neck 288 of the work holder and terminates in a manual shut-ofi valve 289. Such gas, under pressure, is provided by a flexible hose 291 from a suitable source, through a valve 292 and pipe section 293, to the interior of the plunger 219.

Air under pressure is also provided through a flexible hose 294 to the interior of cylinder 262 and, when the pistons 213 are fully extended, through a passageway 295, to the upper end of the valve plunger 211 to depress the same.

The gas and air hoses 29! and 24! for the grapple 252 pass upwardly and around a pair of rollers 296 and thence through the loops 291 to the gas and air supply pipes 298 and 299, respectively. Each of these pipes is provided with electric valves 364 controlled by the gas and air supply switches 362 and 363, respectively, located adjacent the loading position. The hoses 29| and 294 of grapple 254 likewise pass over rollers 296 and through a loop to the gas and air pipes 298' and 299. Only the air pipe 299, however, needs to be provided with a valve 361, in this case, and this valve is controlled by a switch 364, accessible from the platform 266 of the forming press.

The rollers 296 are carried by a bracket 365, which in the case of hoist 25 I, may be rigidly secured thereto, but in the case of hoist 253 it is desirable to mount the bracket on a suitable pivot 366 so that it may turn as the hoist moves past the gas and air pipes 298 and 299 during movement of the blanks from the press to the loading truck at the left thereof.

The operation of the hoisting and grapple mechanism during a loading operation is as follows. The hoist 25I is moved to the right by operation of the travel control switch 361 to bring the grapple vertically over one of the spherical holders 61 of a cover and blank assembly supported in the right hand rack 256, and is then lowered into contact therewith. The length of the piston rods 212 of the air cylinder 262 is such that when the grapple arms are opened, under the influence of springs 215, the rollers 21] are spaced only slightly greater than the diameter of the head 61. Therefore, if there is any inexactitude in the alignment of the grapple with the work holder, the rollers engaging the work holder serve to center the grapple relative thereto and permit the grapple arms to pass below the center thereof with the hardened insert 216 substantially aligned with the insert 292. The conical faces of these inserts as they engage further center the grapple relative to the holder. The attendant then, by operation of the air control switch 363, operates the air valve 36l to supply air under pressure to the cylinder 262, thereby to force the upper ends of the grapple arms outwardly and to clamp the spherical head 61 between the rollers 211 and insert 216. Upon the completion of this clamping movement of the grapple arms, the passageway 295 is opened, permitting the air to pass into the space above the valve plungers 265 whereby to force the same downwardly into sealing contact with the insert 282. The hoist 25l is now operated to vertically raise the mufile cover 

